New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-02
TO CURE THE LIQUOR EVIL.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF HIGH LICENSE.
TIE ASSEMBLY EXCISE COMMITTEE LISTENS TO DIR.
CROSBY, Ex-JUDGE NOAH DAVIS. GENERAL
swAYNE AND OTHERS.

TIE ASSEMBLY EXCISE COMMITTEE LISTENS TO DIR.
CROSBY, Ex-JUDGE NoAH DAVIS. GENERAL
swAYNE AND OTHERS.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO 1HE rRIBUSE.l
ALBANY, Feb. 1.-The High-License bill introduced
by Assemblyman Ernest Crosby, son OF the rev. Dr
Howard Crosby, ot New-York, was considered tniS
afternoon by the Excise Committee of the Assembly
delegation of conspicuous temperance men Oh No"
York appeared to favor the measure, among inc num-
bcr being DR.. Howard Crosby, ex-Judge Moan DaV''
General Wager Swayne, Ex-Governor d. II. Chamber
lain, of South Carolina Robert Fulton Cuttlns
Robert Graham and John b. Ford. The first speaker
DR.. Crosby, who made eloquent ana prac,liea'
speech fax or of the bill. In the course OF nls @
marks he said that II time to prevent the
sale of liquor in NewYork. Crime was increasing az
a rate in that city and it chiefly due 10 nlo
selling The crime could only be checked oy
the amount of liquor selling He had IN eis possesI
n letter from Charles H. Woodman, chairman ol e
Board of Excise, in which that Official sent ms al
prova1 of the highLice bill with the eNcePion "
the druggist clause. Tor
Robert Fulton Cutting, member OF the Society ios
the Improvement Of Tenement Houses SAID Una, WI, ,
association had built good tenements. III womb nv
perm liquor store III them, although liquor deaei
offered high rents. Once he had tried the exp9rnc
Of leasing store with the provision that ohis ILL.,, =
liquors should be sold in 1t. The expermcnt wa' "
failure Strong liquors were desired by the peopio
who patronzed the pla-e.
General Wager swayne said that high-lisense law,
in Illinois and Missouri had been successiully aVPnd
and had sd beneficial effect. The Generai ~ suu
that il tie number OF barrooms IN New orh Tao
diminished the police authorities would be better ~ -,
to keep them under control and compel their ownes 70
obey the excise laws in regard to selling liquor OH
Sunday or selling liquor to minors; of the
Ex-judge Noah Davis said: lhree-quaters OF .n9
crime In New-York ia due to drinking. IL wonli
strike all sensible minds that the expense OF maha
ing the prisons fall on the taxpsyers Leu ~ pt.
brake al the of the evil Prevention IL no ~.
than punishment. The degradation, especially IN 'c
Of women is terrible My experience has peen 10
l. ad me TO take any step could to diminish l;l. ~.
7 Of
but always have been in favor of any bili tnat "n
restrain liquor selling. Prohibition in New oIh, ~,
my opinion, would lie free rum, for the simple reason
that il would be impossible to get sufficient police
force. II is impossible to indict whole popula'on
What, then, can Inc done' Can we dot by local
option That wOuld be ridiculous in New ork
! Deal option may do in the country. what ten,
shall dol High license is the best and safest sleP
thar can be taken now. 1t will create iar smaller
in existence could not afford To pay more money lor
licenses. Have you considered that the proPr'c
tors OF the dives are able to make enough 20 ILL.,
their families by poisoning the fnmiiirs OF otheis
Every man who takes $1,000 license becomes an
agent for the arrest Of the unlicensed liquor deaer gu
the same block. He will not permit that men VINO
have maid nothing shall compete with him. We enlist
the liquor dealers avarice on the side OF the law
We cannot suppress liquor selling utterly, put we CT"
restrain and lessen it, 81,
Ex-Governor Chamberlain of South Carolina, said :
that prohibition is not to he even attempted
this year. There are two methods OF reforming tue
drinking evil-prohihiton ana regulation. IL IN NV"
York Civ we are have anything this year 10 lessen
liquor selling we must have something in this direc
ton Dr. Crosby has told Won there are ",ooJ
licensed saloons and 900 unlicensed saloons in New
York. We are in great danger in New, ore;
II you will 70 with to the Powery VIII
show You that whole blocks devoted 70 liquor sell
ing, You cannot open door but that It opens mo
liquor saloon. This Ia crisis equal 10 that oi iNol
| say 10 this committee Forget vouf political diner
enccs and un e. upon which Will arrest
this great evil. We should not Ice tempted mo
hundred saloons some blocks in New-fork. Let us
reduce their number TO ten. The interest OF tne
licensees made the strongest police force yor can
command and the character OF saloons II saloons can
have character, " II be raised"
John u. Ford said that he had been connected with
ST. Johns Guild Tor several years Over 20 per cent
of the suffering discovered by that society due 10
tor improving the Condition OF the Poor, said thnt
that society cordially approved che High-lcense b
Liquor sc ling and Ligh rcnts were the TWO gr"'i
curses OF Ncw-lurk Robert Graham, OF the 'huIch
Temperance Society, presented maps showing the
situation of the luor saloons ON each block oi huhd
incs in Ncw-York Mr. Graham said that there w,re
10 1917 liquor saloons in New-lot oil which ",l"'
were licensed. In his opinion the hill would reduce
the saloons by 5000 In the Ist Assembly District
there 1908 people, 335 liquor stores, church
and schools. .
Assembl lyman Gegerich of Newly otk. said to Mr.
Graham: " DO You not think that Billy McGlory
could better afford TO pay . 1000 than the poor but
honest dealer T. -. .
{" / think" said Mr.. Graham. that II Billy >
McGlory paid 2 900 he would know that his risk was
reater in carving his business in unlawful way
than il was when he paid only 500 He would not
like to lose : 600 10y having his license cancelled t
wonld also be TO !his interest To see that the mil
ceI.cd -aloOns in his vicinity were suppressed.
Miles ". Gibbons in behalf of the Wine and Liquor
Dealers Association asked that the members Of that
society be heard In opposition Inc committee aEI''
10 hear Nr. Gibbons on "Wednesday attctnoon: ~
will $50 give hearing week on Mr.. Hiegerich
bin authorizing the sale of liquor on Sunday afternoon
IN New-lork